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Archive for the tag “tavern”

I had been to Hopmonk a few times before tonight, and I desperately needed some pictures for tonight’s blog, so I thought, “Aw, what the heck?” I have always enjoyed the food there and I needed a beer.

My boyfriend, Dana, and I lucked out tonight. It was “Hoppy Hour”, and beers were $3. So I began my dinner with a relaxing HopMonk Dunkelweizen. The menu describes it as having an “estery aroma” with “chocolaty wheat malt”, “strong banana”, and a “bit of clove spiciness”.

HopMonk Dunkelweizen

I tasted smokiness, but maybe I just need some practice developing my palate! Overall, I enjoyed my beer, but I enjoy most Hefeweizen beers so it was not a difficult sell.

Dana and I shared five mini “Hoppy Hour” entrees, and it turned out to be a lot more food than I expected, so Hopmonk seems to be a great place to go for good beer and decent food if you don’t have a lot of money to splurge!

Fish Tacos

We each ordered fish tacos. The fish tacos (two per order) were $3, and while they tasted pretty good and fresh, I have had way better fish tacos. Of course, I am extremely spoiled by my friends who fish regularly and make delicious food from said fresh fish. Plus, I prefer corn tortillas for my tacos! Considering how much food there is on that plate for $3, though, it is hard to complain.

Sausage Bites

The sausage bites ($5) came fried with leeks and onions. Unfortunately, much of it was burnt! Rather than send it back, Dana and I agreed to not put up a fuss and just accepted the possibility that this is not a common occurrence. Which I am sure was not just a fluke was the fact that the sausage was too salty! I am usually the person who thinks an entree needs more salt, so when I think something is really salty, there is a problem! Sausage is usually salty, but this was extreme.

Pork Slider

The pork slider was just a mini pulled pork sandwich, which I have had in the past. And I am no pulled pork expert, but I find theirs to be delicious! The sauce is not too sweet, and even better, there is not too much sauce! I really dislike when my food is drenched in barbeque sauce, and in many cases, I’d rather opt out of the BBQ sauce altogether!

Beef Slider

This is a $3 miniature cheeseburger, which I have also had the entree version of at Hopmonk before. We ordered the slider rare and it came out medium. Why is it that when I ask for a rare burger, the only restaurant in the area that wants to give it to me rare seems to be Mike’s in Cotati?! No, I don’t want my burger overcooked! Give me that delicious tender mooing meat! I really need to learn to send my food back when it is not cooked to order. I am way too lenient… until I get to write about it later! Regardless, it tasted pretty alright. Not as good as Mike’s, but it is difficult to compare because Mike’s actually gives me what I want.

Overall for this visit, I was underwhelmed and disappointed! We have had many great visits in the past, but this did not live up to my expectations. One of my favorite items on their menu is the Hopmonk Reuben. Not too greasy and not too salty, it is a great option for any Reuben fan!

At least we got out of there for $30 (including tip). Oh, and the potato chips are homemade and pretty delicious!